Russia's secretive Su‑34 delivery sparks speculation
The Rostec Corporation announced the delivery of new Su-34 aircraft to the Russian military. Although a video confirming this was posted on social media, the shipment size was not disclosed. It is possible that the Russians deliberately withheld this information.
5:19 PM EST, November 25, 2024
The new Su-34s were delivered to the Russian military at the airport in Novosibirsk, which belongs to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), part of the Rostec conglomerate. According to some observers of the war in Ukraine, Russia is again attempting to project strength, whereas the actual delivery might have consisted of just two aircraft.
Russians received a batch of Su-34s
The Ukrainian portal Militarnyj notes that this speculation is supported by analysing video materials and photos that have been made public. Further doubts are fueled by the lack of snow in the video shared by the Russians, suggesting it might have been recorded earlier than November, which is already winter in Novosibirsk. Militarnyj suggests that the publication may have purely propaganda purposes.
The Ukrainian portal notes that since the beginning of 2024, the Russian military has received several batches of Su-34s, totalling only nine such aircraft. Similarly, deliveries of other aircraft have been limited; in 2024, the Russian army received only six Su-35S and Su-35SM2 and no more than three Su-57s.
The core of Russian air force
The Su-34 is a crucial aircraft for Russia and is sometimes referred to as the backbone of the Russian Air Force. Developed in the 1990s, it is a tactical bomber over 75 feet in length. It features two AL-31F M1 engines, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 1,181 mph.
One of the notable features of this aircraft is its armament capacity. It comes equipped with a GS-30-1 aircraft cannon of 30 mm as standard, and it can carry up to 17,637 pounds of additional armaments on its 12 pylons. These include rockets, cruise missiles, and various types of aerial bombs. During the war in Ukraine, Russia used it to carry and drop KABs (glide bombs), which are considered a significant threat, earning them the moniker the Russians' "miracle weapon."
